The moonlight is hazy, and the night is as cool as water.
Jiang Yushan sat stiffly, her right hand gripping the single-edged scissors, slowly opening them. The moonlight shone on the blades, gleaming with tiny, cold glints. Her eyes fixed on them. She extended her left index finger, tentatively stroking the blade, thinking to herself:
Blunt, short, not sharp enough.
Even if there were no clothes between them, even if they tried their best, it would probably be difficult to kill someone instantly.
Her face was pale and her eyes were bloodshot. She sat alone by the window, repeatedly pondering the scissors, feeling very disappointed and sighing softly.
While I was lost in thought, I didn't realize that the bright moon was setting in the west. It was almost five o'clock in the morning. Everyone was fast asleep and there was silence all around.
Finally, she made up her mind, closed the scissors and put them back where they belonged, closed the mirror box and put it back where they belonged, tiptoed back to the inner room, took off her shoes, got on the couch, lay down next to her mother, and slept in her clothes.
This series of subtle movements did not wake up Xu and the maids.
Soon, dawn broke.
Because it was Wang's birthday, and it was the first time he celebrated his birthday after being pardoned from exile and settled in Heqin, it was naturally more grand.
When the sky was just beginning to brighten, the old housekeeper urged the servants to start working.
The sounds of footsteps, chatter, and moving things were disturbing. Jiang Yushu woke first, quietly washed, dressed, and left. Wang Qiaozhen, for once, also woke up early. The two sisters-in-law worked together, fearing that something might go wrong at the birthday party.
Half an hour later, Guo Honglei woke up. He felt a little dizzy from being drunk. After washing up, he drank a cup of strong tea to refresh himself. Then he strode to call his two younger brothers and went to do his manly work.
When the day breaks, the second courtyard is cleaned inside and out, and it is bustling with people coming and going.
Before the guests arrived, Wang was seated at the head of the table in the main hall, wearing a red dress, red cushions, and red chairs. A red round table was piled high with birthday gifts. Her face was rosy and beaming, as is the way of life on a happy occasion.
Guo Honglei led the way, and the three brothers knelt on both knees, kowtowed, and said, "Sons wish you a happy birthday, mother. May you live as long as the Southern Mountains and be blessed as vast as the Eastern Sea!"
Wang raised her hand to support him and said cheerfully, "Well, get up quickly."
Then came the two daughters-in-law. After the ceremony, Jiang Yushu said with a smile: "I wish the old lady will have this day every year, and be stronger and healthier every year!"
"Hahaha~" Wang couldn't help laughing, "Okay, okay, get up."
Next came the two grandchildren. Guo Yu plopped down on the mat, kowtowed properly, and chanted the birthday greetings his uncle had taught him. Guo Ye, however, was clueless and, held by his nanny, bowed as he did, extending his hand to his grandmother, indicating that he wanted to play on the couch, as he was used to, as he did every morning after breakfast.
"Hey, Yu'er, be gentle, be careful not to hurt your forehead!"
"Get up, get up quickly."
Wang smiled from ear to ear and praised her repeatedly. She said lovingly, "Okay, come here, good children, come to grandma."
Guo Yu stood up and ran to his grandmother to act coquettishly; the nanny put Guo Ye on the couch, and the baby turned over and used his hands and feet to try to crawl towards his cousin to play together.
Finally, all the servants of the Guo Mansion, as well as Zhou Yan and others who had rushed from Liucun Village in Yuehu Town to celebrate the birthday, knelt on the ground outside the threshold of the hall and congratulated in unison.
Wang nodded and happily ordered, "Reward."
"Yes." The eldest daughter-in-law passed the order down, and the housekeeper immediately took out the reward money prepared in advance, more or less, and each servant received a portion for the purpose of celebration.
After the family ceremony, Gong Yipeng and his family of three came to congratulate him shortly afterwards.
Suddenly, the hall was filled with laughter and joy.
Jiang Yushu saw an opportunity, approached, and whispered, "It's the old lady's birthday, and my father wanted to come and congratulate her, but because he's an imperial envoy, carrying out the emperor's orders, it's not convenient for him to attend the birthday banquet, so he can only come to visit tomorrow. I hope you can understand if this is rude."
"Of course I understand. When on duty, official duties should be prioritized." Wang was in high spirits. "It's quite rare that Ye'er's grandmother, uncle, and aunt are all here. It's alright, go ahead and do your work."
"Yeah." Jiang Yushu touched the child and reminded him, "Today is Grandma's birthday. You have to be good and don't be naughty. Do you understand?"
The baby smacked his lips, grabbed his mother's fingers, and babbled to be held.
"Mom will hug you later, just stay here good!" Jiang Yushu pulled out her fingers and hurried away.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped down the stairs, he ran into Xu's mother and son.
The stepmother and daughter's smiles froze at the same time, and then they acted as if nothing had happened.
"Big sister!" Jiang Mingcheng was excited, affectionate and flattering.
Mrs. Xu calmed herself down and asked kindly, "Is it appropriate to go see my mother-in-law now?"
Jiang Yushu also calmed down and said, "It's right. The Gong family relatives are also in the hall, and it's very lively. Come on, I'll take you in." She glanced around and asked doubtfully, "Where's my sister?"
Mrs. Xu replied casually, "She caught a cold last night, and since Zhenyun is coming soon, I told her not to show up before the wedding."
"Oh." Jiang Yushu had no time to pay attention. She led her family back to the hall to chat and laugh for a while. Guests came one after another. She fulfilled her duties as a daughter-in-law and received the female guests together with Wang Qiaozhen.
Guo Honglei led his two younger brothers to entertain the male guests, chatting and laughing in the study.
At noon, Xia Zhenyun, the fifth son of the Dongqin Marquis's mansion, came with several servants and generous gifts to celebrate the birthday.
At this moment, in the main hall, Wang was the leader, and several wives of county officials were sitting in the back. The young girls had already moved to the side hall, where they were either drinking tea and chatting, or quietly discussing the two unengaged young men in the Guo family.
The moment Jiang Yushu saw Xia Zhenyun, she understood everything and thought to herself: A young master from a noble family is still unmarried at the age of 26. Is it because of his appearance?
"My nephew Zhenyun," Xia Zhenyun said. He was short, but quite plump and pot-bellied. His eyebrows were widely spaced, his single eyelids were swollen to the point of half-closed, he had a bulbous nose, and his teeth were slightly buckled. He saluted with difficulty and said respectfully, "I'm here on the orders of my elders to pay my respects to my aunt and wish you a long life and good health."
"Well, okay. You've come all this way here, it's hard for you." Wang knew he would be coming, so she raised her hand to support him and said with a smile, "Zhenyun, get up quickly. No need to be so polite. Honglei, treat your brother well and don't neglect him."
Guo Honglei bowed slightly and said, "Yes."
With Madam Xu beside him, Xia Zhenyun subconsciously smiled at his future mother-in-law. However, when he stood up halfway, he accidentally stepped on the hem of his robe, losing his balance and stumbling forward.
Instantly, with a "click", the hat fell off, revealing a half-bald head.
Xia Zhenyun was caught off guard and waved his arms in embarrassment, but he couldn't stop falling, and his face turned red with embarrassment.
"Be careful!" Jiang Yushu was shocked.
Xu hesitated to speak, "Ah——"
Fortunately, Guo Honglei was nearby. He quickly helped the man up, picked up the hat while bending down, and handed it to the other person silently.
"Thank you, thank you." Xia Zhenyun quickly put on his baldness-covering hat and broke out in a sweat of embarrassment.
In an instant, the whole hall fell silent. The female guest didn't know what to say, so she just remained silent.
Guo Honglei remained calm and raised his hand, saying, "Brother Shi, please come in. Azhe and Brother Xuan are waiting for you, and they have some local friends with them. Please come over and chat."
"Go, you young people have a good chat." Wang came back to her senses and waved her hand kindly.
Xia Zhenyun knew he had made a fool of himself, and he was too embarrassed to even look at Xu. He replied hesitantly, "Oh." He turned and walked out, his flesh trembling with every move he made.
Mrs. Xu took a deep breath, drank a sip of tea gracefully, and looked normal.
Hahaha, fat bald guy, so stupid and dumb! Wang Qiaozhen gritted her teeth and tried hard to hold back her laughter.
Jiang Yushu muttered to herself for a moment, then put it aside and immersed herself in arranging the banquet arrangements without stopping for a moment.
That day, the Guo Mansion was extremely lively and bustling. It was not until the evening when the guests left one after another that the place gradually became quiet.
As the sun set, the three brothers saw off the male guests, while Jiang Yushu and Wang Qiaozhen saw off the female guests. They were all tired after a whole day of entertaining guests.
Guest room doors and windows are closed
Jiang Yushan slept until noon, refused to eat or drink, and had a gloomy face. The maid knew that she was unhappy, so she didn't dare to breathe and accompanied her carefully.
Because it was a second courtyard and not spacious, the noise of guests being sent away frequently reached her ears, making her more and more angry. She closed her eyes and rested in annoyance.
Suddenly, Guo Hongxuan's loud voice rang out from outside the window:
"Brother Shi, you are too kind. I don't deserve it."
Guo Hongzhe also said modestly, "Brother, I really don't deserve your praise."
Guo Honglei smiled. "They have only passed the county and prefectural examinations, and there is still the academy examination. They have not yet obtained the title of scholar, so they are not worthy of your praise, brother."
"No, brother, you are too modest."
Although Xia Zhenyun was the eldest son of the Earl's family, he was not particularly favored because he had many brothers. He was naturally good-tempered and gentle, and said with a simple smile, "With their talents, they will surely win the first prize in the next spring examination. I am waiting for you in the capital. We must get together and get drunk!"
Guo Honglei said happily, "I hope it will be as Brother Shi said."
The four of them walked out, chatting, and gradually walked away.
In the room
Jiang Yushan was barefoot, peeking through the crack of the window, staring at the trembling Xia Zhenyun, comparing him with the tall and handsome Guo Honglei. As she compared them, her face turned ashen, she slammed the window, ran to the bed, and cried in grievance.
Oh my God!
Oh my god…
I would rather die than marry that ugly bastard named Xia!
As she cried, she drifted off to sleep.
The personal maids Xiaoli and Xiaoxi stood nervously in front of the couch, not daring to say a word of advice for fear of incurring her anger.
As dusk fell, the door opened and Xu returned to her room. As soon as she entered, she asked with concern, "Where's Shan'er? Has she eaten yet?"
Xiaoli and Xiaoxi exchanged a glance. The former replied, "The young lady is asleep." The latter chimed in, "No matter how much we tried to persuade her, she refused to eat. She's been hungry all day."
"Oh, I knew it, what a silly girl!"
Xu sighed and walked towards the inner room while ordering, "I asked someone to make bird's nest porridge. Xiaoli, quickly go to the kitchen and bring it. I will feed you myself. If you don't eat, I will force you to eat!"
"Yes." Xiaoli knelt down and retreated.
Mrs. Xu sat down on the edge of the couch, bent down to look at her tear-stained daughter, and called out, "Shan'er? Shan'er? Wake up quickly. You haven't eaten all day. It's bad if you starve yourself."
"Shan'er?"
"Wake up, mother has something to tell you."
Mrs. Xu smiled and said, "Zhenyun came today, not only bringing birthday gifts, but also a gift for you. He heard that you were having trouble acclimatizing and your appetite was poor, so he specially sent you some high-quality bird's nest. It's obvious that he's a thoughtful, considerate man who knows how to care for others."
"You've been spoiled and stubborn since you were little, and you're always prone to losing your temper. That's why I chose Zhenyun. We're a good match, he's kind-hearted, and generous. He'll definitely tolerate you!"
Xia Zhenyun? Bird's nest porridge?
Jiang Yushan closed her eyes and ignored her mother's nagging. She was so angry that she could hardly breathe and her fingertips were trembling.
Meanwhile, East Wing
"Shake it, yes, shake it."
"Is it fun?"
The baby lay flat on the couch, playing with a small rattle with both hands, making a "dong dong" sound.
Jiang Yushu tied the child's belt and tickled his itchy spot. "Okay, it's clean now, it smells delicious!"
The drum sounds "dong dong dong ~", and the baby is ticklish and giggles.
The wet nurse, Qiu, was cleaning up nearby. She neatly placed the dirty clothes in the tub. The custom was to have them washed by a designated person. She picked up the tub and said, "Young Master, it's time for dinner. I'll go get the egg custard."
"It's been a busy day today," said Madam Pan, moving closer and teasing the baby with the cloth tiger. "I wonder if the egg custard is ready yet."
"How dare the cook leave the young master hungry? He must be steamed."
"Then go get it."
Jiang Yushu was exhausted. She pounded her lower back with her left hand and taught the child to shake a rattle with her right hand. "It's a birthday party. There are many guests. Everyone must have worked hard. Let's rest early..." Before she finished speaking, Cuimei knocked on the door and reported:
"Madam, the Lord is here!"
"who?"
"Sir! The carriage has stopped at the door. The young master and his men will go to greet it first."
Jiang Yushu stood up in surprise, roughly smoothing her hair and straightening her clothes. "Strange, didn't father say he would come tomorrow?"
"Go and greet him quickly," Nanny Pan urged.
Jiang Yushu nodded, and did not forget to instruct: "Yer just took a bath and coaxed him to sleep after he had eaten. There is no need to take him out to meet guests. He always goes to bed early and gets up early."
Aunt Pan agreed and replied, "Yes! It's windy today, I'm afraid I'll catch a cold."
When her father arrived, Jiang Yushu hurried to greet him.
At the same time, in the guest room
Xu was surprised and delighted. "Oh? Where is he?"
"The eldest young lady and the eldest young master have gone to greet them." The maid reported.
Mrs. Xu hurried over without even turning her head and said, "Shan'er, your father is here. I'll go see him. You should eat the bird's nest porridge quickly!"
Jiang Yushan closed her eyes, said nothing, and pretended to hear nothing.
The maid Xiaoxi obeyed the order and kept watch over her every step of the way.
The next moment, Xiaoli returned with a tray and knelt in front of the couch, saying, "Miss, I've just made some bird's nest porridge. Please try some. Don't starve yourself."
"Eat a little bit?" Xiaoxi chimed in.
Suddenly, Jiang Yushan turned over and sat up, her face covered with tears, and coldly ordered: "I'm all sticky, Xiaoxi, prepare hot water, I want to take a bath."
"Yes." Xiaoxi accepted the order and left.
Soon, the master and the servant were the only ones left in the room.
Xiaoli brought the porridge and knelt in front of the couch, continuing to persuade her: "Girl, please eat something at least. Don't starve yourself."
Jiang Yushan threw back the quilt, slowly bent her right leg, and asked coldly from above, "Bird's nest porridge?"
Xiaoli's eyes lit up, mistakenly thinking that she wanted to eat, and quickly replied, "Yes!"
"Was the bird's nest given by that ugly freak named Xia?"
"Huh?" Xiaoli was stunned for a moment, then answered truthfully, "I heard my wife say just now, yes."
"Tsk, who wants bird's nest given by an ugly freak?"
Jiang Yushan sneered, and the regret, resentment, jealousy, and frustration that had been pent up for several years...all surged into her heart. She suddenly became furious, raised her right hand high, and struck upward diagonally, knocking over the tray!
The freshly cooked bird's nest porridge, boiling hot, instantly splashed all over Xiaoli's face!
"Ah——" Xiaoli felt severe pain on her face. She hurriedly raised her hand to wipe off the porridge. She screamed halfway but was kicked in the stomach again. She fell backwards, curled up and covered her heart, the pain was so severe that she couldn't speak.
Jiang Yushan jumped out of bed, furious. Although she was barefoot, she used all her strength to beat the maid viciously, kicking her and demanding, "You ugly freak gave me bird's nest, and you dared to persuade me to eat it?"
"Damn it, so tactless, damn it! Damn it!"
"You deserve to die, all of you deserve to die!" Jiang Yushan lowered her voice and gritted her teeth.
In the blink of an eye, the maid was unable to dodge and dared not resist, and was kicked seven or eight times in a row, three of which hit her right in the heart. At first, she was able to curl up, rolling around and begging for mercy, "Mercy, please, please, please, please, I know I'm wrong, cough cough cough... please, please..."
Jiang Yushan was venting her anger like crazy, with her eyes wide open, her eyeballs bulging out, and her face ferocious. She kicked and stabbed the maid in the chest.
The maid was hit hard in the chest, and the fatal wound made her unable to curl up. Her whole body twitched, her eyes rolled back, her legs stretched straight, and she kicked her legs, and gradually became motionless.
Jiang Yushan was completely oblivious and continued kicking until she was out of breath, sweating profusely. She slumped over the edge of the bed, still cursing, "Ugly freak, a toad wants to eat swan flesh. An ugly freak also wants to eat swan flesh? Humph, is he worthy? Get out!"
"Stinky maid, damn maid, how dare you persuade me to eat the bird's nest given by the ugly monster?"
"Damn it, you really deserve to die."
In the candlelight, she looked down at her motionless maid, "Xiao Li? Xiao Li?"
"You actually ignored me? Are you looking for death?" She stood up and walked closer, bent down, touched the maid, and found that she had no energy or pulse.
After a long silence, Jiang Yushan burst into laughter, clapped her hands crisply, tilted her head, and said coquettishly, "Hahaha, you stupid maid, you have no sense. You really have become a 'dead maid'!"
Then she stood up, stretched lazily, put on her shoes and walked out. Just as she was about to open the door, she stopped, turned around, took out the scissors from the mirror box, put them in her sleeve, and closed the door with her backhand.
Just at this moment, diagonally opposite the east wing
"What's wrong with Madam Qiu? The child is hungry, but the egg custard hasn't arrived yet!" Nanny Pan closed the door, walked towards the kitchen in confusion, worried about Guo Ye's dinner.
The sky is getting dark and night is about to fall.
Jiang Yushan stood behind the tree trunk, staring intently.
As soon as Nanny Pan left, she walked towards the east wing. As soon as she pushed the door open, she heard the baby's babbling sound.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
